Bottle closure



E. GREENE BOTTLE CLO SURE Jan. 16, 1940.

Original Filed March 16, 1957 18 25 INVENTOR jiiyador? Greene A TTORNEYJ Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 16, 1937, Serial No. 131,123 Renewed June 22, 1939 8 Claims. (01. 215-42) This invention relates to bottle closures of the diflicultly refillable type, such as exhibited in Letters Patent Nos. 2,001,609 and 2,070,594, and 2,096,426.

6 The principal object of the invention is to improve the construction of such devices, particularly in respect of the so-called guard and weight and their structural and functional relations to each other; so that while a bottle equipped with 10 such a device may be properly sensitive to gravity in resisting attempts to refill it as by submerging the bottle in a horizontal position, yet the bottle will pour freely and promptly when held at a desirably small angle to the horizontal.

I In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a bottle neck, with a stopper embodying a form of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the guard memno ber of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating certain modifications of structure in respect not only of the guard member but also of the weight member and of the valve member;

'25 Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the guard member of Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is a vertical central section illustrating a modification of what is shown in Fig. 3, particularly in that the Fig. 5 embodiment includes two 30 weight members and two valve members, as distinguished from the single valve and weight of the Fig. 3 construction; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the guard member of Fig. 5. I

35 Referring to the numerals on the drawing, the structure shown in Fig. l is in general similar to what is shown in Patent No. 2,096,426. There is a closure member 8 orificed at 9, with a cork or similar seal III for the orifice, a ferrule II for 40 securing the assembly to the top of the bottle 29, and a cap l2 which must be destroyed before the cork l can be removed. These parts are gener-' ally as shown in Patent No. 2,096,426. As shown in that application also, there is a guard member 45 whose function is to prevent tampering with the valve parts, and this guard member, indicated by the reference character I4, is provided with three spaced lugs, shown clearly in Fig. 2, said lugs having portions l fitting into appropriate recesses in the cover member 8, and other portions I6 which are to extend downwardly into valve casing ll. By preference, the cover member 8 and the guard member II are made of porcelain, and theguardmember is held in the Fig. l posi- I tioii by the introduction of glazing material between the lug portions l5 and the contiguous surfaces of the cover member, so that upon subsequent firing the guard member and the cover member become substantially one piece.

The casing I! has a valve opening I8 for the 5 passage of liquid from the bottle into the casing, and there is a valve seat interiorly of the casing surrounding the opening [8 and controlled by a disc-like valve member E9 of buoyant material, such as cork, which is adapted to control the 10 opening it. Cooperating with the buoyant valve member 19 in accordance with principles which are explained in my patents and aforesaid ap-' plication there is a weight member 20 that is movable to control and determine the movement of the valve member 19 towards and away from the opening l8 in accordance wtih various conditions of operation to which the bottle may be subjected. The guard member I4 is provided with a centrally located projection 2| that extends 20 downwardly from its lower face in the direction of the valve opening it, and this extension 2i for a portion of its length rearwardly from its outer end takes the form of a frustum of a cone whose axis is the axis of the closure fitment and bottle, and whose sides show an inclination of about 20 to such axis. The weight member 20 is of generally circular form with an opening centrally therethrough, the opening being so formed that its bounding walls define the frustum 80 of a cone symmetrical with that which is formed on the guard extension 2|.

The operation of a device such as described is in general similar to what I have set forth, for example, in my said co-pending application Serial 85 No. 52,300. With the bottle in the position shown in Fig. 1 the weight 20 maintains the valve disc IS in valve-closing position. If the bottle is inverted the valve disc with it. If, the bottle having been emptied, it should be attempted to refill it by placing it on its side in a vessel containing liquid, it will be found that in bringing the bottle to the horizontal position (i. e., the position at right angles to the Fig. 1 position, or thereabouts), movement of the weight 20 will have taken place in a direction away from the guard member I and towards the valve opening l8, this movement forcing the valve disc l9 into the Fig. 1 60 position. Such movement of the weight member is due to the fact that the weight member will have assumed the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, hanging as it were on the line of contact between the vertically upper coned sur faces of the guard extension 2| and of the weightopening, and the weight of the weight member and the cone angles will have caused a relative sliding movement between the guard extension and the weight in the direction towards the valve opening l8, whereby the valve disc sliding along the ribs 33 of casing 11 is caused to effectively close said opening as shown.

For the more effective operation of the parts it is desirable that the weight when moving from the full line position of Fig. 1 to the dotted line position under the conditions stated, should not tilt on the guard extension, that is to say, the cone surfaces of the weight member should maintain a line contact with the upper surface of the cone extension of the guard throughout the extent of the movement of the weight towards the valve seat, with the result that the faces of the valve disc and the flat face of the weight member which is in contact withthe upper face of the valve disc are at all times substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cones, thereby insuring more prompt and effective closure of the valve opening. This result is brought about by a proper distribution of the mass ofthe weight member, so that throughout the movement of the weight member from the wide-open position of the valve disc l9 to the fully closed position thereof as in Fig. 1, the center ofgravity of the weight member will coincide with a line passing through the contacting surfaces of weight and guard extension, and preferably so that this line will never quite reach the outer end of the cone extension of the guard. Thus it will be noted that the overall diameter of the relatively short weight of Fig. 1 for a considerable part of its length nearest the guard is definitely larger than that of the part nearest the valve disc.

. In order to prevent adhesion between guard and weight the latter may be provided with three upstanding spaced lugs 32.. While I have shown the weight member provided with a through opening (and this construction has some advantages), I contemplate as an alternative that the reduced end of the opening may be closed. Also either the cone extension or the coned opening may be provided with longitudinal anti-friction guide. ribs similar to the ribs 33 on the inner wallof valve casing l1.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the structure there shown is in general similar to what has already been described, except that the guard member is provided, in addition to the coned extension 2|, with a reduced cylindrical portion 23 that continues beyond the lower end of the cone extension. The buoyant valve member inthis embodiment is provided witha thimble 25 set into a central opening in the valve disc, the closed bottom of the thimble generally extending below the plane of the lower face of the disc, and the upper end of the thimble being slightly flared outwardly and preferably extending not above the upper face of the valve disc. Into this thlmble the cylindrical extension 23 projects. The action of this embodiment insofar as the relation between guard, weight and valve disc is concerned, is similar to that already described with reference to the Fig. l embodiment except that the valve slides along the extension 23 instead of on the ribs 33 which have been obviously omitted. If desired, the valve casing 26 of the Fig. 3 embodiment, instead of extending up into the cover member 8, as in Fig. 1, may have an outwardly. projecting flange 21 which engages 'neath lugs 34 and preferably a gasket 28 on top of the mouth of the bottle 29, and the orificed cover member 30 may be designed to rest upon this flange 21, a gasket 3| being interposed as shown. In this embodiment also it is not essential that the guard member should be permanently united with the cover member 30, since the assembly of the guard member with the cover member may be accomplished by meansof the gasket 3| as shown, the inner edge portion of the gasket engaging behaving a snug fit around the sides of lug portions 35. A ferrule will be used to hold the assembly on the bottle,

as in Fig. 5.

In the Fig. 5 construction the closure member '35 and the valve casing 31 are in general as shown in, Fig. 3. The interior of the closure member36 is provided with a plurality of spaced longitudinal ribs 38, against the lower ends of which abuts a wheel-like member 39 (see Fig. 6). The member 33 is shouldered as indicated at 40, and a gasket 41 is frictionally held against this shoulder, said gasket extending outwardly and forming the seal between the closure member 36 and the valve casing 31. The hub of the wheel 39 is extended downwardly to form a cone extension 50, and there is a through opening 42 extending through this hub. 43 is a weight member similar to that shown in Fig. 3, and 44 is a valve disc similar to that shown in Fig. 3. 45 is a rod-like. member which extends, through the wheel 39 and the cone extension thereof and down into the central well of the valve disc. The upper end of this rod 45 extendswell above the wheel 39 and has fastened on it a guard piece 46, the uppersurface of which has a plurality of radial ribs 41 to. direct the flow of liquid which, entering through the opening l8, passesvaround the valve disc and through the spaces between the spokes of the wheel and between the ribs 38 and out through the discharge opening 48. There is a second valve disc 49 carried by theupper end of the rod 45 and movable with the rod 45 and the guard piece 46. This valve disc in the Fig. 5 position covers the openings between the spokes of the wheel member 39 and of course when the valve disc 49 is in the Fig. 5 position the valve disc 44 will also be closed as shown. The cone extension 50and the cone opening in the weight member are provided for the same reasons as already set forth in connection with. the description of the Fig. l and Fig. 3 embodiments and with the same results so far as making it difficult to fill the bottle when it is laid on, its side in a vessel of liquid.

The weight members of Figs. 3 and 5 are relatively long as distinguished from the weight of Fig. 1 so that a line passing throughthe center of gravity in either case will not quite reach the extreme ends of the conical portions of guard members 2| (or 50) when the bottle is horizontally disposed and the weightis in'valve-closing position.

It should be noted in'Fig'. 1 that part 2| is cylindrical above its conical portion tothus reduce the length of the line'of contact between weight and guard, in order to reduce friction to a minimum. The same is trueof the corresponding parts shown in Figs. 3 and 5'." 1

Itshould also be noted that in order 'to get 'a long' weight so that the center of gravity will be short of, the end of the cone on the stem, and without adding to depth of valve casing26 and 31,- the spokes of the wheel 33in the Fig. 5 constructicn have been cut back from the lower face thereof, and the bottom of the guard of the Fig. 3 construction has been raised above the ends 35 of ribs 34. These arrangements permit the use of a maximum length weight without increase in the depth of the valve casing, and without undesirably limiting the travel of the valve disc away from the valve seat.

I claim:

1. In a bottle stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable a valve casing having an inlet opening and having therein a valve member, a substantially centrally disposed stem and a weight freely slidably mounted on the stem, said stem and weight having surfaces inclined. at substantially the same angle to axes thereof and of such relative diameters in cross section that the surfaces can meet only in a single substantially longitudinal line of contact, the center of ravity of said weight being so located and the angle of inclination of said surfaces being such that the weight is actuated by toward the valve seat when the bottle is in a horizontal position.

2. In a bottle stopper for attachment to a bottie to render the same non-refillable a valve casing having an inlet opening and having therein a valve member, a substantially centrally disposed stem and a weight freely slidably mounted on the stem, said weight having a through opening, said valve member having a substantially centrally disposed orifice, said stem having a rodlike portion possing through said weight into said valve member orifice and having a portion provided with a surface circular in cross section and inclined an angle to the axis of the stem, a part of wall of the through opening of said Weight being inclined at substantially the same angle the inclined surface of the stem and being of such diameter relative to the stem that the inclined surfaces can contact only substantially longitudinally linearly whereby the weight is actuated by gravity toward the valve seat when the bottle is in horizontal position.

3. In a bottle stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable a valve casing having an inlet opening and having therein a valve member, a substantially centrally disposed stern and a weight freely slidably mounted on the stem, said weight having a through opening, said valve member having a substantially centrally disposed orifice, said stem having a rod-like portion passing through said weight into said valve member orifice and having a portion provided with a surface circular in cross section and inclined at an angle to the axis of the stem, a part of the wall of the through opening of said weight being inclined at substantially the same angle as the inclined surface of the stem and being of such diameter relative to the stem that the inclined surfaces can contact only substantially longitudinally linearly, and the center of gravity of said weight being so located that the weight is actuated by gravity toward the valve seat when the bottle is in a horizonal po sition.

a. In a bottle stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable a valve casing having an inlet opening and having therein a valve member, a substantially centrally disposed stem and a weight freely slidably mounted on the stem, said weight having a through opening, said valve member having a substantially centrally disposed orifice, a rod-like secondary valve-actuating member passing through stem and said weight into said valve member orifice, said stem having a portion provided with a surface circular in cross section and inclined at an angle to the axis of the stem, a part of the wall of the through opening of said weight being inclined at substantially the same angle as the inclined surface of the stem and being of such diameter relative to the stem that the inclined surfaces can contact only substantially longitudinally linearly whereby the weight is actuated by gravity toward the valve seat when the bottle is in a horizontal position.

5. In a bottle stopper for attachment to a bottie to render the same non-refillable a valve casing having an inlet opening and having therein a valve member, a substantially centrally disposed stem and a weight freely slidably mounted on the stem, said weight having a through opening, said valve member having a substantially centrally disposed orifice, a rod-like secondary valve-actuating member passing through said stern and said weight into said valve member orifice, said stem having a portion provided with a surface circular in cross section and inclined at an angle to the axis of the stem, a part of the wall of the through opening of said weight being inclined at substantially the same angle as the inclined surface of the stem and being of such diameter relative to the stem that the inclined surfaces can contact only substantially longitudinally linearly, the center of gravity of said weight being so located that the weight is actuated by gravity toward the valve seat when the bottle is in a horizontal position.

6. In a bottle stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, a valve casing having an inlet opening and having therein a valve member, a substantially centrally disposed stem and a Weight freely slidably mounted on the stem, said stem and weight having cooperating surfaces inclined longitudinally, said surfaces being so proportioned that adjacent parts thereof can meet only in a single substantially longitudinal line of contact when the bottle is in a horizontal position whereby the weight will be actuated by gravity toward the valve seat in this position.

7. The device set forth in claim 6, in which the weight has a through opening and the inclined surface of the stem slides on the inclined surface of the through opening.

8. In a bottle stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, a valve casing having an inlet opening and having therein a valve member, a substantially centrally disposed stem and a weight freely slidably mounted on the stem, said stem and weight having cooperating surfaces inclined longitudinally, said surfaces being so proportioned that adjacent parts thereof can meet only in a single substantially longitudinal line of contact when the bottle is in a horizonal position and said weight having its center of gravity so located that the weight will be. actuated by gravity toward the valve seat in this position.

EDGEWORTH GREENE. 

